Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31229
A full review by Rahmat Ali
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This puzzle was published on 2nd May 2026
BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****
Greetings from Kolkata. A brilliant Saturday puzzle from the setter that I enjoyed solving and thereafter writing a review of the same for your kind perusal and significant feedback.
After solving the puzzle, I became interested in the etymology of ‘martyr’, the singular form of martyrs, that is the answer to the clue at 24a; so I explored the internet and gathered a wealth of fascinating information. The word ‘martyr’ has a long and revealing history, rooted in the idea of witnessing rather than suffering. It ultimately derives from the Ancient Greek word ‘martys’ (μάρτυς), meaning ‘witness’. In classical Greek usage, a ‘martys’ was simply someone who gave testimony, especially in a legal context. This sense passed into early Christian Greek, where the term took on a more specialised meaning of a person who bore witness to their faith in Christ. It was particularly used for the apostles who witnessed Christ’s life and resurrection, then to describe those who chose death rather than renounce their faith. As Christianity spread within the Roman Empire, believers were at times persecuted for refusing to renounce their faith. Those who steadfastly maintained their beliefs, even under threat of death, came to be honoured as ‘martyres’ or witnesses not merely in word, but through their actions and ultimate sacrifice. Over time, the emphasis shifted from the act of witnessing to the suffering endured, particularly death for one’s beliefs. The word entered Latin as ‘martyr’, retaining both its spelling and its religious significance. From Latin it passed into Old English as ‘martir’ or ‘martyr’, influenced by ecclesiastical texts and the spread of Christianity in early medieval England. By the Middle English period, the spelling had largely settled into forms close to the modern ‘martyr’. In contemporary English, the primary meaning remains ‘a person who suffers or dies for a cause, especially a religious belief’. However, the word has also developed a broader, sometimes figurative sense. Someone might be described as a ‘martyr’ if they endure hardship for a principle, or even, more loosely, if they complain of suffering in a self-sacrificing way. Thus, the evolution of ‘martyr’ reflects a shift from legal testimony to spiritual witness and finally to the powerful idea of sacrifice for conviction or a journey that mirrors significant historical and cultural developments.
Sprat, part of the wordplay in the clue at 29a, reminded me of my childhood days when I was in Class II at Joseph Day School. That was the time when I received my second double promotion. My schooling began in Nursery. The following year, I was placed in KG-I, but on the very first day, I was promoted to KG-II. In the third year, I entered Class-I, but was promoted to Class-II within a week. It was my habit to read all the textbooks within the winter vacation, before the new session began in January, usually after the 10th. The English book for Class-I contained the poem, “Jack Sprat could eat no fat, / His wife could eat no lean. / And so between them both, you see, / They licked the platter clean.” As far as I remember, this is the second time I have commented on this poem in this blog.Please leave a comment telling us what you thought.
Across
1a Ring and chatter excitedly, wanting king to lead dangerous expedition (4,3,3)
BELL THE CAT: BELL (ring) as a verb meaning to ring or give a ringing sound followed by (and) an anagram (excitedly) of CHATTE[R] devoid of (wanting) R (king) as the abbreviation for rex, the Latin word for king takes to the definition of a phrase meaning to perform a daring act, attempt something dangerous or daring or to lead dangerous expedition
6a Barman at first had cider and beer sent over (4)
BACH: The definition of the German composer and musician of the late Baroque period whose full name was Johann Sebastian Bach and who is known for his orchestral Brandenburg Concertos, an example of which is a barman or cryptically a person of bars because their profession involves musical bars is deduced from the first or initial letters (at first) of H[AD] C[IDER] A[ND] B[EER] coming from the opposite direction (sent over) as reversals in the across clue
9a Police leader? Smart! (5)
STING: Double definition; the second a verb meaning to smart, ache or hurt or to feel a sharp, stinging pain that takes to the first a noun referring to the nickname of Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner who was the lead singer in ‘The Police’, the world-famous English rock band that was formed in London in 1977
10a Note producer upset Chairman Mao in the end (9)
HARMONICA: The definition of a small rectangular wind instrument with free reeds recessed in air slots from which tones are sounded by exhaling and inhaling and hence a note producer is got from an anagram (upset) of a combo of CHAIRMAN and the end or terminal letter (in the end) of [MA]O
12a Wonder biofuel – car I manufactured has it in back (7)
MIRACLE: The definition of a noun denoting wonder, phenomenon, sensation or marvel is part of or hidden inside (has it in) of [BIOFU]EL – CAR I M[ANUFACTURED] coming from the other end (back) as a reversal in the across clue
13a Something of a shock? (5)
TRESS: The definition of a lock, curl or braid of hair is cryptically arrived at from something of a shock that is a thick, bushy mass or head of hair
15a Spooner’s destiny: coastal city that’s horrible (7)
HATEFUL: A combo of FATE (destiny) as destiny, chance or luck and HULL (coastal city) as the primary city serving the 53 miles of East Yorkshire coastline that is subject to an utterance involving spoonerism (Spooner’s) as to utter a verbal error in which a speaker transposes the initial sounds or letters of two or more words, often to humorous effect takes to the definition of an adjective meaning horrible, despicable, obnoxious or loathsome
17a Officer housed by fine homeless charity (7)
SHELTER: LT (officer) as the abbreviation for lieutenant who is a commissioned officer in the army embraced or covered (housed) by SHEER (fine) as an adverb denoting so fine as to be transparent, especially of textiles guides to the definition of charitable institution providing housing for homeless or displaced persons
19a Runs free, strangely, before quiet jog (7)
REFRESH: An anagram of a combo of R (runs) as the abbreviation for run or runs scored in cricket followed by an anagram (strangely) of FREE placed in front of (before) SH (quiet) as an interjection used to tell someone to be quiet leads to the definition of a verb meaning to renew by stimulation, an example of which is to jog i.e. to stimulate or refresh the memory
21a Like sheep, say, with rings, lines and, alternately, reins (7)
WOOLLEN: The definition by example of items made of wool that are like sheep that are covered in wool, that is, they have a thick woolly coat is arrived at from a charade of W (with) as the abbreviation for with, OO (rings) as O and O (rings) as each O representing the shape of a ring or together as the cryptic formation for the plural ‘rings’, LL (lines) as L and L (lines) as each L representing the abbreviation for line or together as the cryptic formation for the plural ‘lines’ followed by the alternate letters (alternately) of [R]E[I]N[S]
22a Old people snap tigers on vacation (5)
PICTS: The definition of the ancient people of obscure origins who lived in Britain, especially Northeast Scotland is obtained from PIC (snap) as a colloquial term for a picture, an example of which is a snap i.e. an informal term for a photograph, often referring to a quick, casual picture taken without much planning followed by T[IGER]S from the clue subject to vacating or emptying out of the inner letters (on vacation)
24a Damage non-electronic car parts? They suffer greatly (7)
MARTYRS: MAR (damage) as to damage or spoil the attractiveness, appeal or beauty followed by TYR[E]S (car parts) as the plural of a thick, usually air-filled rubber ring or strip around the edge of the wheel of a car devoid of E (non-electronic) as the standard prefix and abbreviation for electronic as e-mail in electronic mail takes to the definition of the persons who suffer greatly, typically for a cause or belief
27a One times spinner cutting sample of fabric (9)
STOPWATCH: TOP (spinner) as referring to the spinning top that is a toy that can be set spinning on its pointed base and hence cryptically a spinner getting inside SWATCH (sample of fabric) as a sample, especially of cloth, or of carpet, wallpaper etc takes to the definition of an accurate watch readily started and stopped, used in timing a race etc i.e. a device that times
28a All-rounder regularly dismissed without help (5)
ALONE: The oddly-placed letters (regularly dismissed) of ALL-ROUNDER guides to the definition of an adverb denoting exclusively, only, without others or without help
29a Woman, Sprat, ultimately getting fat (4)
SUET: SUE (woman) as primarily a female given name or acting as a short form or nickname for names like Susan, Susanna or Suzanne followed by the ultimate or last letter (ultimately) of [SPRA]T takes to the definition of a hard waxy fat around the kidneys and loins in sheep, cattle etc
30a Eighty red fans going after black – that’s keen (6-4)
BRIGHT-EYED: An anagram (fans) of EIGHTY RED preceded by or following (going after) B (black) as the abbreviation for black takes to the definition of an adjective meaning keen, eager or alert
Down
1d Badenoch initially remains in party (4)
BASH: The initial or the first letter (initially) of B[ADENOCH] followed by ASH (remains) as the bodily remains, especially after cremation or decay takes to the definition of a colloquial term for a party or celebration
2d New title about medic provided theme (9)
LEITMOTIF: An anagram (new) of TITLE placed around (about) MO (medic) as the abbreviation for Medical Officer who is a medic or doctor and followed by IF (provided as a conjunction denoting provided, assuming or in case leads to the definition of a dominant and recurring theme, as in a novel
3d Animal in children’s game here, having shed its skin (5)
TIGER: The definition of a large carnivorous feline mammal, Panthera tigris, of Asia, having a tawny yellow coat with black stripes is reached from TIG (children’s game) as a children’s game in which one child chases the others and anyone who is caught then becomes the pursuer followed by [H]ER[E] from the clue that has undergone the removal of the outer letters (having shed its skin)
4d Just this Roman and others around (7)
ETHICAL: The definition of an adjective meaning just, fair or morally right is got from HIC (this Roman) as a pronoun meaning ‘this’ in Latin spoken in ancient Rome surrounded or covered by (around) ET AL (and others) meaning ‘and others’ or ‘and elsewhere’ in Latin
5d Stuffy, as bald Cockney might be (7)
AIRLESS: The definition of an adjective meaning badly ventilated or lacking fresh air is arrived at from the phonetic representation of [H]AIRLESS (bald) as bald or having no hair on head, which is how a bald Cockney or a person from East London, having the habit of dropping the sound of H, would utter while referring or pointing out to their hairless head
7d Going strong, boxer versus European (5)
ALIVE: The definition of an adjective denoting alert and active or still going strong is got from a charade of ALI (boxer) as referring to Muhammad Ali, the American professional boxer and activist, widely known by the nickname ‘the Greatest’ and often regarded as the greatest heavyweight boxer of all time, v (versus) as the abbreviation for versus and E (European) as the abbreviation for European as EU in European Union
8d Leader, powerful and stubborn (10)
HEADSTRONG: A charade of HEAD (leader) as a leader, chief or director and STRONG (powerful) as physically or mentally powerful or vigorous guides to the definition of an adjective denoting stubborn, obstinate or wilful
11d Busy seafront – he goes to hide (2,3,2)
ON THE GO: The definition of an idiom meaning constantly busy or active is part of or hidden inside (to hide) [SEAFR]ONT – HE GO[ES]
14d Psychiatrists and believers accepting punishment (10)
THERAPISTS: The definition of a psychiatrist, psychotherapist or psychoanalyst is got from THEISTS (believers) as believers in the existence of god or gods taking in (accepting) RAP (punishment) as a slang term for blame or punishment
16d Worries over wife cut by a sharp tool (7)
FRETSAW: FRETS (worries) as a verb in the third person singular present tense denoting worries unnecessarily or excessively placed upon in the down clue (over) W (wife) as the genealogical abbreviation for wife and separated by (cut by) A from the clue takes to the definition of a woodworking sharp tool that allows carpenters to make intricate cuts
18d Everything extremely suspect in Conservative lie (4,5)
TALL STORY: A combo of ALL (everything) as used to refer to the totality of things and the extreme or outermost letters (extremely) of S[USPEC]T placed inside (in) TORY (Conservative) as a member of a political party in Great Britain that has been known as the Conservative Party since 1832 guides to the definition of a story that is hard to believe because it describes seems exaggerated and not likely to be true, that is, it’s a lie
20d Hot stream disturbed small creature (7)
HAMSTER: H (hot) as the abbreviation for hot, especially with reference to water on a faucet followed by an anagram (disturbed) of STREAM guides to the definition of a small Eurasian rodent, genus Cricetus, with cheek-pouches reaching almost to the shoulders that is a small creature
21d Article stops unusual growth for animal (7)
WARTHOG: A (article) as one of the definite articles in the English language getting inside (stops) an anagram (unusual) of GROWTH leads to the definition of any of a genus of wild hogs found in Africa, with large warlike excrescences on their cheeks
23d Near dead-end road (5)
CLOSE: Double definition; the second being a noun referring to a narrow alley terminating in a dead end that takes to the first an adverb denoting near or in proximity
25d Poet turning tail, finding cause of ferment (5)
YEAST: YEATS (poet) as referring to William Butler Yeats having its last or downmost letter in the down clue (tail) moving up by one place to the fourth place (turning) leads to the definition of an agent that helps in the process of fermentation
26d Drove that woman mad at last (4)
HERD: The definition of a drove or flock of animals is produced from HER (that woman) as a genitive or possessive pronoun or a pronoun in the accusative or dative case pertaining to the third person singular feminine gender followed by the last or terminal letter (at last) of [MA]D
There were several clues that I liked in this puzzle such as 6a, 9a, 10a, 24a, 27a, 30a, 4d, 14d and 25d; 27a being the best of the lot. My prayers to the Almighty for the eternal rest and peace of BD and my thanks to the setter for the entertainment. Looking forward to seeing you here again. Have a nice day.